Availability of a new recombinant H5N1 vaccine virus

June 2010

IDCDC-RG12

A new recombinant A(H5N1) vaccine virus has been developed by the WHO Collaborating Center for the Surveillance, Epidemiology and Control of Influenza at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (WHO CC), Atlanta, USA from A/chicken/Vietnam/NCVD-016/2008 (H5N1; Clade 7), thanks to the Government of Vietnam for sharing the virus. The new recombinant vaccine virus IDCDC-RG12 is available for distribution. As with all seasonal and A(H5N1) influenza viruses selected by WHO and used for vaccine development, the sequence of the haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) of the A/chicken/Vietnam/NCVD-016/2008 can be found on a public website:

Institutions, companies and others interested in pandemic vaccine development, who wish to receive these candidate vaccine viruses should contact either the WHO Global Influenza Programme at GISN@who.int or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at the address below:

The Global Influenza Surveillance Network (GISN) has been closely monitoring the antigenic and genetic evolution of the circulating viruses, especially human virus isolates. Countries are encouraged to share with WHO their specimens and/or isolates, both from humans and animals, for their inclusion in the WHO A(H5N1) vaccine virus selection and development process, in addition to other activities of public health significance.